This weekend we celebrate the gift of Motherhood.  For many, mothers are a precious gift in life.  Mothers are the women who give us life and continue to nurture this life until the day they die.  Their entire being is consumed with their motherhood and their children are the lucky recipients of this loving gift.   If we are children, do we fully appreciate our mothers?  And if we are women who have been given the gift of motherhood, do we fully appreciate the opportunity to be mothers?  Perhaps this short reflection can help shed some light on the matter.

    I am a woman and I am one who has been fortunate enough to bear children.  I thank God for this precious gift.  I have loved and nurtured my children.  I have taught them right from wrong.  I have taught them how to love but above all I made every effort to prove to them that they are loved by me and by their loving God.  Thank you God.

    I am a woman and I also have had the good fortune of bearing children.  Sadly, my children were not healthy and I have had many sad and difficult moments related to the poor health of my children.  At times I nearly despaired, believing that God had abandoned me but, time has proven that God has kept me close to his heart.  I have come to realize that I have become a better, stronger, more courageous woman over time.    God is indeed loving and I thank Him for always being at my side.

    I am a woman who has not been blessed with the gift of children.  My husband and I were unable to bring a child into the world regardless of our depth of love for one another.  This has been an agonizing cross for me to bear.  I have had great difficulty understanding why God did not allow us to have children.  There were many days when I was angry with God.  I was often jealous of other women and heartbroken when I saw mothers shopping for clothes and toys, something I would never enjoy doing for my own child.  Over the years I have learned that God is inviting me to “mother” in other ways.  I have accepted this invitation and I thank God for his guidance and love.

    I am a woman who has been given children but unfortunately I have poor health and I will not see my children mature.  This breaks my heart but I have no control over the situation.  I have done my best to be a good and loving mother.  I can only trust that God will see them through life with love and tenderness.  O God, give me courage to be faithful to you to the end.  I do believe but help my unbelief.

    I am a woman who has been given children but I have not appreciated them.  I have not been a good mother.  I have been neglectful, abusive and resentful.  I have made no effort to give of myself to my children.  In retrospect I see that I have done wrong.  I thank God for the opportunity of motherhood but I am so very, very, sorry.  Forgive me God
                                Lorette P. Nault